Top Stories
Stories in Viva that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
My Dad: The Feminist
This is the story of how my dad became a feminist. Let's start with that all important caveat shall we? Just to be clear – I’m not talking about a born-again, protest-chanting, preaching-from-the-roof-tops feminist. Not even the type of feminist that is really comfortable calling himself that word.
On My Complicated Relationship with the Word “Okay”
Let me start with what I saw. The expanses above me were an aged off-white with the wildest, strangest assortment of clouds you can think of. Texture. Icy tile held accountable by gravity unyieldingly pressed itself to the back of my head, my shoulder blades, me, as I look up into the restless sea of plaster directly above me. A finite sky of drywall. The floor vent to my left puffs its wispy breaths, the plumbing pipes swishing fluid below me and above me and all around the tiny bathroom in which I laid. I didn’t feel; I saw.
F. Elle HullPublished 9 months ago in Viva
The Great American Tampon Shortage
So far this year, Americans have experienced shortages in baby formula, camp counselors, child care workers, lifeguards, and swim lesson teachers. It’s not a stretch to say, it’s been a rough year for parents. Add in record-high gas prices, and this summer does not look to be a fun one.
Jennifer GeerPublished 10 months ago in Viva
It's time to stop telling women in their 30s how to live their lives
I turned 30 this year, and let me tell you, that milestone falls on you not like a stone, but like a hard, crushing boulder.
Dee SimonePublished 10 months ago in Viva
Growing the Girls
I recently read a story by Suzanne V. Tanner, calling for "Breast Building Stories" for a possible e-book. Suzanne's story is like those of many of the girls I grew up with. They just couldn't wait to have breasts and be all grown up.
Paula ShabloPublished 10 months ago in Viva
Yes, I Had An Abortion
“Tell me, were there any complications following your abortion?” The doctor stood looking down at me as I sat encased in a paper robe, stiff uncomfortable paper sheet crackling beneath my bare buttocks.
Paula ShabloPublished 11 months ago in VivaThe Dystopia I Feared Is Upon Us
I am a writer. Words and the stories I create with them are my identity and my life's purpose. But every now and then I go through these "no writing" spells, where the stories and words just won't come. I'm starting to recognize that these spells coincide with world events, over which I have no control. I'm trying little tricks to fool myself into storying, like leaving my docs open to the next paragraph or feeding my brain inspiring stuff–books, movies, videos–to get over the hump. But this time, as we face the defeat of women's reproductive freedom in the United States, the words won't come. All I can see is The Handmaid's Tale in my mind, which leaves room for nothing else.
Hillora LangPublished 11 months ago in Viva
5 Things I'm Gifting Myself to Achieve My Goal This Year
As I sat by the roadside, watching people move in different directions, the traffic was starting to build up. The sun had started to shine as I waited for the bus; all looked blurred from my peripheral view.
Jessey AnthonyPublished 11 months ago in Viva
The Importance of Boundaries Around Diet & Body Image
Boundaries. A word that may sound scary and limiting, but when used properly in various areas of life can bring a sense of comfort and reassurance.
Erin R. WilsonPublished 12 months ago in Viva
The Manic Pixie Dream Girl Might Be Here to Stay
She's the "one". The Manic Pixie Dream Girl. She'll be the one that got away. The one he thinks about years later when he's bored and disappointed with everything his life has become.
Ariel JosephPublished 12 months ago in Viva
Women in Television are Getting Messier, and that's a Good Thing
I love a good antihero. If the success of shows like "Breaking Bad" is any indication, I'm not alone. We love to cheer on a flawed character. We find ourselves rooting for characters like Walter White, whose actions progress from illegal to downright immoral and evil, at times. We can empathize with a villain's backstory, and understand how they became who they are.
Maria WallischPublished 12 months ago in VivaFalling out of Intimacy
One time my OBGYN prescribed me antidepressants. Her name was Tracey, and she had cutesy pins of uteruses on her white doctor’s coat. Do we have to hyper-femininize everything?
